Collaboration & Co-Creation

Equitable Sustainability:
Addressing the Human Dimension in Achieving Net Zero

By fostering a shared commitment to sustainable development that is interwoven with social equity, we can pave the way for long-term, profitable solutions that benefit both current and future generations worldwide.

Brand Provided | By Jeff Skelton | Published 1 week ago | About a 6 minute read

Image: Enrique

On our journey to net zero, the biggest obstacle to reaching our destination is people. The world’s population is not on a level playing field; and regardless of the levers pulled to address the problem, the consequences of climate change are not distributed equally.

The consequences of clinging to the status quo are, however, distributed without prejudice. One only needs to catch a glance at the orange haze across any major city skyline on a hot summer day to know what they are seeing is not good. COVID-19 served as a stark wake-up call — underscoring how interconnected our world is in terms of our public health, supply chains and our impact on the earth. We marveled at how our urban environments can quickly rebound to cleaner air and clearer skies when human activity is restricted, which offered an encouraging glimpse of what could be achieved with concerted efforts towards sustainability.

The world’s national powers have finally begun to acknowledge the necessity of a clean-energy transition and have begun the decades-long process of shifting from fossil fuels to renewable and circular energy solutions.

But we are not merely a world of nations; we are a world of human beings — and neither nations nor their populations live on equal footing. As nations, policymakers, regulators and corporations continue to reimagine ways to sustainably power our daily lives, they should also prioritize the human element in forging a just transition that properly considers the interdependent nature of all societies, cultures and economies. Simply put, everybody is connected; let’s use that interconnectivity to all of our advantages.

Opportunity, innovation and the price thereof

Prior to the industrial revolution, energy consumption was mostly renewable wind- and water-powered; but progress crawled and life expectancy was low. Unlocking the power of carbon-based energy sources released unimaginable opportunity and an explosion of innovation. Developed nations have made incredible advances in science, technology, healthcare and rising standards of living; yet, every aspect of progress drains natural resources — some finite and others renewable. The monumental advancements in industrialized nations over the past century-and-a-half has come at a cost, but these nations are not the only ones that have received the bill.

Can renewable energy enable progress in developing nations?

We now find ourselves at a crossroads. Societies that have benefitted from these technological advances don’t want to give them up, and societies on the upswing are eager to catch up. Developing nations are seeking the same better healthcare, automation and economic opportunities that world powers have long been enjoying. All of this creates an increased demand for energy and fossil fuels at the exact same time we are trying to phase them out. Fossil fuels are currently the most efficient way to keep up and catch up.

Renewable energy sources have made significant advances over the past three decades but don’t come close to satisfying the burgeoning demand. Our global initiatives must consider the future of developing societies as we strive for net zero.

Good intentions vs constant crises

Following the mainstream media on this topic will give you whiplash. With the best of intentions, nations across the globe sign formal commitments for ambitious climate targets. Local governments launch recycling programs, aiming to reduce landfill expansion. Corporations announce sustainability mission statements with published targets that reflect well on the brand.

Then, reality shows up. We have been living in an era of perpetual crises and disruption. Global economic events force nations to delay spending money on reaching climate targets to meet the demands of voters for social safety net expansion, jobs and everything in between — taxpayers want police protection, teachers need to get paid, and public health systems need to function as promised.

Reconciling contradictory forces on the road to net zero

Then, there is the challenge in reconciling the urgency of cutting GHG emissions with profitability. Corporations have invested billions to find solutions to reduce resource consumption in their production processes and reduce waste from their products. Here again, the reality of consumer demand for faster, newer, safer and cheaper goods often doesn’t square with using less energy to produce them.

Electric vehicles are an excellent example: They may not need petroleum to run, but they do require oil-based products to manufacture — which requires the pumping of more oil. These vehicles are powered by batteries, which require the mining of critical metals such as lithium — which expends large amounts of heat, water, energy; and yes, produces emissions. It’s a cruel fact that even when you try to be “green,” carbon-based fuels are at the source of just about everything.

Understanding market dynamics and trade-offs for better decision making

The interdependent nature of our global energy, materials and consumer products markets and supply chains requires a new level of precision data management. Perhaps the answer lies with following the energy molecules and chemicals that go into everything we use.

In recent years, the ability to track and trace the production, distribution and consumption of goods around the globe has become very sophisticated. Plenty of businesses have emerged to meet market demand to understand the complex ecosystems that put food on our table, power our cities and provide the materials to build our infrastructure. With this data, consumers and governments can make better decisions about the trade-offs of their choices and policy decisions. Moreover, corporations can reflect the social and environmental cost of these ecosystems on their balance sheets and accurately forecast what trade-offs people are willing to make to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

The road to a just energy transformation

This energy transformation crossroads is a chance for humanity to do it right this time. There are no quick fixes.

Imagine a scenario where the world’s two largest economies (China and the US) collaborate with the oil majors of the Middle East to find a sustainable economic solution to operate within planetary boundaries. Such a coalition could harness the available resources to create a comprehensive strategy that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship and ensure a just transition for all. The data is available to make sense of it all — now, we need the will of the people to make it happen.